As charmingly retro as they seem, small striped outdoor tents (also called palmetto or lawn tents) were nothing new in the 1960s and 1970s — in fact, they have been used for centuries.
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Before air conditioning and refrigerators existed, see some of the ways people managed to stay cool during the great New York heat wave of 1911!
These little vintage kiddie swimming pools were the perfect size to help introduce babies and children to water fun in the safety of their own shallow wading pools!
Take a look at these modest old-fashioned swimsuits for men and women, seen on real beachgoers and early movie actresses, with many high-quality and colorized vintage photos!
Five flavors of whipped gelatin form this colorful, spectacular dessert: a rainbow cake – an eye-catching red, pink, orange, green and purple layered dessert recipe!
Remember these chocolate desserts made with Oreo crumbs that look like you’re eating straight out of the garden — Dirt pie and dirt cups? Here’s how to make these simple, silly desserts the retro ’90s way.
These vintage summer clothes from the fifties, all made of cool cottons, were designed for carefree living and summer comfort. Stripes predominated in the fabrics chosen, lending color and dash to these wearable designs.
Take a look back at vintage Knott’s Berry Farm – the California amusement park known as a Disneyland alternative, but one that boasted its very own ghost town.
Squirt soda, not sweet like other soft drinks. In fact, it’s definitely dry. It starts with sun-ripened citrus fruit and ends up with natural dryness, a quality never before achieved in soft drinks.
This carefree tie-on poncho is cut in just four identical pieces and put together with simple straight sewing. Best of all, it has a dozen uses, can be made in any number of different fabrics, and cut to any length you like.
Retro paper plates, napkins, placemats, cups and more – all affordable and all disposable – were new and popular in the ’60s. Here’s a look back at some of the products & patterns available then!
On the top of one of the taller buildings of the time, the Hotel Majestic’s roof garden was where the elite partied back around the turn of the century.
As long as there have been kids, there have been _bored_ kids. For parents in the ’60s, one magazine offered these great old-fashioned ways to have fun.
This pink lemonade ice cream cake is surprisingly easy to make – it starts with a boxed cake mix, and gets dressed up with filling and frosting. Try it!
Gone on Grape? Crazy for Cola? Batty about Birch? Whatever your soda pop passion, this retro recipe for soda pop ice cream is a cool, new way to enjoy more of it.
In the ’70s, teens and girls were wild about the blonde look, trying at-home methods and a variety of new products to lighten and brighten their hair.
We’ve gathered recipes, tips and more great picnic ideas from the ’70s so you can have a fab summer celebration, retro-style!
These 60+ vintage patio furniture sets – charming tables, chairs, chaises and more – were as popular in the 1940s through the 1970s as they are now.
Remember these vintage above-ground pools – the kind that were big enough to actually swim in, but that you didn’t need to dig a big hole for?
A Victorian garden party may extend from afternoon into evening, or it may be entirely an evening affair — and here were the best ways to set everything up.
Retro pool toys like these plastic inflatables made summer twice as fun when you could float and play and create pretend worlds right in the swimming pool!
Right from the ’50s, here are some classic tips to keep your kitchen cool when it’s hot outside, plus some easy recipes to help you beat the heat.
Whether for a day at the beach or in the pool, these inflatable vintage pool floats and loungers gave people of all ages a new way to enjoy the water.
This recipe for savory crescent chicken squares was a winner at the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest in the ’70s because it was tasty and so easy to make.
Here’s a retro recipe for a pink raspberry-angel food dessert that’s super easy to make with marshmallows and gelatin, and requires no baking.
There’s a world of possibilities with pineapple, like with this sunburst chicken stir fry. You’ll find it’s very easy to make. Here’s how!
Fashionable vintage parasols could include materials like lace, chiffon, fishnet, satin ribbon, and of every hue. Here are a few of the styles from long ago!
Here are 38 different classic punch recipes to try — none with alcohol as an ingredient. The fruit juices and different varieties of carbonated waters and ginger ales will satisfy the palate, and cool you off in a most refreshing manner.
The sight of a golden lemon suggests ice water, sugar and a straw, in other words: good old-fashioned lemonade recipes. The lemon is the family’s best friend when the sun is sizzling.
As you can see from these Vintage Coney Island photos & postcards, This beach area just outside New York City was one of the most popular resorts in the United States.
Tall, fruity coolers, with or without spirits, are much more refreshing than the usual carbonated soft drinks or heady cocktails. Try drink recipes like this red rum cooler, iced tea Hawaiian, Hawaiian rainbow or sunshine floats.
These vintage swimsuits from the ’50s said they’d ‘slim the hips, diminish the waist, and give your bustline the gently rounded new look.’ See
You never heard of frog lemonade? Probably not — it’s a Southern drink that is perfectly delicious, invented back in New Orleans, Louisiana around 1894.
Ideas for more than 20 vintage recipes for hot dogs, including Pronto dogs, Frank-roll slices, hotdog boats, hot dog-bacon roll-ups, franks in blankets, Snappy frank-cheese rolls and lots more. Check ’em out!
It’s surprising what you can do with watermelon – cook it, chill it, pickle it – for a side dish, salad, dessert, drink, relish or topping. Here are some great watermelon recipes for you to try!
Nothing beats fresh fruit ice cream on a hot summer’s day… except homemade strawberry ice cream that you can make without a machine!
Midsummer night’s dream: A party menu plan for Juliets in search of Romeos This strategy works like charm. Invite lots of boys and wear your ruffly-est ruffles. Great food. Great fun. And no more lonely Saturday nights.
For the boat, the beach, around the pool, or just a quiet drink on the porch, you’re invited you to try these summer rum drinks! Salud!
Make these ornaments in minutes for dazzling centerpieces or decorations. It’s so easy! You simply use straight pins to attach sequins and beads to Styrofoam forms.
Ice cream salad recipes: Tomato ice cream, cucumber ice cream & avocado ice cream The tomato ice cream on the rocks [below] makes a frosty start
Don’t yawn your way through another summer sandwich. Get with these exciting new spreads you make yourself. Dipwiches: Sandwich spreads you make with dips!
The young lioness swimsuits Brave… sensuous… graceful… beautiful… Don’t you want to be a young lioness this summer? Of course you do! Grrrrrrooowwwwlll! they’ll say
Want to see for yourself just how much things have changed — or not? Lucky modern-day citizens can view or download a free PDF version
Lipton summer salad topping recipe & Lipton Chili Con Carne recipe No other soup — canned or mix — gives your recipes this special flavor California
Summer parties and entertaining duties never cease — there are always garden fetes, weekends, luncheons and bridge suppers to be planned and executed.
The charm of vacationing in New York — the ideal place for a summer resort — lies in the unrivaled transportation facilities of the great seaport.
You can think of these Victorian chocolate and coffee frappe recipes as precursors to Starbucks’ Frappuccino. You can even combine a couple and make an icy mocha frap of your own, courtesy of these recipes from the 19th century!
Hail the red, white and blueberry. A simple summer dessert that’s frozen fantastic. Hurray for the magic of Eagle Brand! It’s the secret to this
6 different ways to preserve fresh raspberries Raspberries are such a perishable fruit that they should be preserved as soon as possible after their arrival
There are many ways of using cherries, but I know of no better way to serve them to the family than in a rich pie crust. This is my favorite summer cherry pie recipe.
Here’s a simple summer recipe that you can cook right on the grill! This delicious cheddar bean bake recipe makes the perfect side dish.
Here is the pie of all pies from our Pillsbury contest! Chocolate-flavored, chocolate-colored crust. Fluffy vanilla chiffon filling, topped with whipped cream and bits of chocolate crust. Perfect for summer.
